There is known as a vehicle steering apparatus a so-called rack and pinion type steering apparatus which is configured such that steering effort imparted to a steering wheel is transmitted to a rack shaft via a pinion shaft, so as to cause the rack shaft to reciprocate within a predetermined range to thereby steer road wheels (refer to Patent Document No. 1).    Patent Document No. 1: Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication JP-A-11-43055